Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-02-19
A FIGHT WITH PECCARIES.
Animals that VIII Keep Up a Siege all
Night.

Three Thousand Miles Through BRAZIL
contains this animated description of fight
with peccaries: / had hardly closed my
eyes when | felt my hammock violently
shaken and perceived an odor of old pig
styes. 1t became evident that we were
surrounded by some animals, for in many
directions was heard the sound of bodies
moving through the brush, twigs swapping,
grass rustling, etc. 1t was moment of suS-
pense, but not for long, for suddenly from
all around us came a blood-curding sound
of the simultaneous swapping OF teeth from
vast numbers of the enemy, followed by
the appearance of a crowd of charging black
animals rushing with wonderful speed
toward common center-our fort. Each
of US lighted a coil of wax tapers that
were prepared ready for the occa-
sion. And what a scene ensued.
The fire was rapidly scattered and partly
extinguished. Under and around US was a
seething mass of black peccaries, barely
distinguishabie in the dim light, but all
pushing and struggling to the front.
The men in the hammocks, after discharg
ing their guns, reached down and slashed
with their knives at the swarming animals
below them. The attack was more like the
wild, reckless bravery of the Arabs of the
Soudan, for as pig after pig fell squealing
and disabled scores more struggled for his
place. = They threw themselves
against the fort, regardless of being struck
down one after the other, and always i'm
others rushed for our hammocks or
viciously gashed the trees that gave US
support. The extremely disagreeable
and nauseous odors Of the animals their
swapping of teeth like musketry file firing,
the reports of the firearms, the shouts OF
the men, the bowling and barking OF the
dogs and the dim light, created a strange
and exciting scene. Every bullet of my
revolver took effect. | shouted to the men
to reserve their powder and fire in volleys,
but it was like talking in gale Of wind at
sea. The animals appeared to be in I'M
mense numbers, grunting, squealiug and
crashing their teeth but noticeable above
everything was the abominable exhalations
from their bodies-an odor like the COM
bination of rank butter and garlic.
Then came diaboiical crash of teeth from
a complete circle around US, followed i'm
mediately by another wild charge, and the
battle was again renewed. Six or
seven other attacks followed, but each one
became weaker and the intervals of longer
duration. The eventful night seemed in
terminable, and finally it was not until
near day break that we heard the last grunt.
In the morning twenty-seven dead pecca-
ries were found in and about the camp and
several wounded, to whom it was necessary
to give the coup de grace. : During
the battle L could not help noticing the
apparent method of their movements, as
though they were led by chiefs. Their
mode of attack is to surround in silence
by a complete circle the object TO be
stormed, when, at given signal, stimuli
taneous swapping of teeth takes place, fol-
lowed by converging rush to the center,
whereby the largest and strongest reach
the front first, and the smallest bring up
the rear. Their retreat is carried out on an
equally methodical system.